Strategic Innovation Initiatives

Following the adoption in March 2021 by the Walloon Government of the new Walloon Smart Specialization Strategy (S3) and the call for proposals for Strategic Innovation Initiatives (IIS) in September 2021, the Minister of Economy, Willy Borsus, confirmed on October 11 the list of selected IIS. At the end of this final selection, ULiège is involved in 16 of the 19 selected IIS.

IIS coordinated by the University of Liege:

• Waste2Bio - Pr M. Hanikenne and Dr C. Nouet (InBios, Integrative Biological Sciences) - aims to create an operational platform deploying innovative plant-based solutions for the economic and environmental revalorization of wastelands. https://www.waste2bio.org/
• Foodbooster - Pr G. Eppe (Molsys, Molecular Systems) - aims to work on the entire value chain of the ingredients and functional foods sector, from the collection of co-products from the food industry to the consumption of functional foods. The focus will be on prebiotics, probiotics and bioactive peptides for use in human and animal health.
• Wasabi 2.0- Pr H. Jijakli (TERRA Teaching and Research Center) - aims to develop, in rural and (peri-)urban areas, a new innovative, sustainable, resilient, diversified, and human-sized horticultural agri-food chain by focusing on the production and processing of underdeveloped sub-sectors.
• Digibiocontrol- Pr P. Jacques (TERRA Teaching and Research Center) and Dr. J.Y. Parfait (Multitel) - aims at solving the problems that currently hinder the massive deployment of biocontrol solutions, allowing the reduction of the use of pesticides in agriculture.
• Valbowal - Pr T. De Mil (TERRA Teaching and Research Center) and Pr S. Trachte (URA, Unité de Recherches de la Faculté d'Architecture) - aims at increasing the added value of the Walloon wood sector, while strengthening its resilience and its contribution to the fight against climate change.

IIS in which ULiège is a partner:

• H2O aims to accelerate innovation in the water sector (digital transition, low-carbon transition, integrated water resource management).
• Protewin aims to contribute to the protein independence of the Region thanks to the deployment of the vegetable and alternative protein sector while proposing new technological solutions for industrialists.
• CETWA aims to develop Renewable Energy Communities as a means of accelerating the energy transition but also as an economic development tool for the well-being of the population.
• WIN4C aims to anticipate the major changes that are coming in the management of our resources and in the relocation of production, repair and recycling activities on our territory.
• e-WallonHY aims at developing a green hydrogen economy in Wallonia, including the different components of the value chain, from the production of green hydrogen, to its storage and transport, to its use.
• MedResyst aims to develop the tools necessary for the implementation of a network and systems medicine, allowing to apprehend the patient in his globality and to improve his care from screening to treatment.
• ATMPWal aims to strengthen the value chain encompassing research, clinical development, production and marketing of cell and gene therapies and tissue-engineered medical products.
• MedTech Wallonia aims to build a MedTech sector for Wallonia that integrates the entire value chain of product & service development as well as all the major strategic players including hospitals.
• MadeInWal aims at federating a maximum of innovation initiatives concerning the whole value chain of "Manufacturing" with the aim of (re)developing the Walloon industrial fabric.
• TRAIL4Wallonia aims at excellence in Artificial Intelligence by federating the whole Walloon ecosystem (R&D, training, companies) to seize the opportunities of today and tomorrow.
• Cyberwal aims to develop a sovereign sector capable of meeting the development needs of the socio-economic fabric in the field of cyber security.

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